Clarence Antonio Lynch, a 22-year-old resident of Prince George's County, Maryland, has admitted guilt to charges related to an armed robbery that occurred in Laurel. The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
The guilty plea detailed that on August 4, 2023, Lynch drove a dark-colored SUV to a convenience store in Laurel with the intent to commit robbery. He was equipped with at least one firearm during the incident.
Lynch forcibly restrained an employee and agent of the store by pulling him into an office after breaking his necklace. Using a hydraulic tool, Lynch opened the store's ATM and stole $65,780 in cash. Additionally, he used a firearm to seize $6,940 from the office along with $11,852 worth of cigarettes. The stolen money belonged to both Business-1 and a financial institution.
For these offenses, Lynch faces a minimum sentence of five years and could receive up to life imprisonment followed by supervised release for up to five years. Sentencing is scheduled for September 2, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby.
U.S. Attorney Hayes praised the FBI and PGPD for their investigative efforts and acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and William Moomau for prosecuting the case.
Further information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-md.